Compare towns
Eliot vs Wells vs Williston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Eliot has the most expensive homes ($499k median).
Wells has the most homeowners (90.1%).
Williston has the most people working from home (22.3%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Eliot | Wells | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,146Lowest |
11,713Highest |
10,144 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5Lowest 17% above U.S. |
| Wells and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Williston and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wells and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williston and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above U.S. |
| Williston and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23k 46% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40kLowest 43% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$1,832±$130 30% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,549 46% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$5,592Highest 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1989 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williston and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #19 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | None in town | Wells High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.